THE University of Aberdeen’s court has backed plans to cut modern language courses, despite widespread outcry.

At a meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the institution’s governing body endorsed plans to axe all single honours undergraduate courses, despite calls from unions, European consulates and the 17,000 who signed a petition urging a rethink.

Following the decision, senior vice-principal Professor Karl Leydecker said: “I am pleased that our governing body has endorsed plans which will place modern languages including Gaelic on a firm financial and academic footing.”